Sermon Aug. 19-20, 2023

Title: Faith in Jesus is Peace!
Text: Matt. 15:21-28

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28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

St. Augustine reminds us:

Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.

Augustine.

Last week we took a walk on the water with Jesus and Peter. If you remember, Peter had his eyes focused on Jesus and he asked Jesus to call him out of the boat so he could walk on the water to where Jesus was. Christ said “Come” and Peter walked on the water to Jesus but as the wind and the waves raged Peter lost focus … he took his eyes off Christ and beginning to sink, cried “Lord save me!” Jesus took hold of Peter and when they both entered the boat and the wind, and the waves ceased.

Today’s reading once again has Jesus looking for a place of rest. The people had been following Him relentlessly looking for maybe a free meal here and there, healing for their illnesses, and any manner of a miracle – but they were not terrible interested in the gospel message that had been being preached. Sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it?

Many in our own day look for temporal blessings instead of eternal security.

So, Jesus withdrew from the populated area of the Sea of Galilee and went up north to the region of Tyre and Sidon in the district of Phoenicia.

22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

This woman knew about Jesus. Apparently, His fame had spread beyond the region of Galilee. She also had been familiar with the books of the Jews and their coming Messiah, and by the working of the Holy Spirit came to believe that this Jesus was the one prophesied from long ago, calling him both “Lord” and “Son of David.” Her request is also a petition for the Lord’s mercy upon her situation. Her focus is upon Jesus.

To this the Lord remains quiet. We are told that he didn’t even say a word, continuing on with His business as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Martin Luther says:

“Christ nowhere in all the gospels is painted as being so hard as here.”

And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”

The disciples didn’t want the bother, didn’t want the problem, telling Jesus to send her away. “She isn’t one of us.” You can almost hear them say. Once again, the disciples fail to have or show compassion. Just as with the feeding of the 5000 they were content to send them away … until Jesus says,

“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” Matt. 14:16

The disciples are an interesting lot. First, they cry out in fear as they are tossed by the wind and the waves on the Sea of Galilee.

They see a ghost which turns out to be Jesus. He calms their fears as he and Peter get into the boat and the sea is calmed.

They all reply, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matt. 14:33b

Now, just as quickly, seeing someone else in distress, they want her sent away … they don’t want to be bothered.

The disciples are you and they are me, if we are honest with ourselves.

At times we don’t want to be bothered even though we have Jesus and His wonderful Good News and gift of faith. If there is a need,

“Not me, I’ve done my time let someone else do it!”

Or we’re too quick to see all that we do ourselves, and we want others to recognize just how much we do too and how hard we work for the church and for Christ.

Both are wrong and both are sinful because you have Christ and His gift of faith which is to have you love others as Christ has loved you.
So Jesus says to her,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

To this Luther says: “Christ was a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, But when [Christ] came he found many Samaritans and Sadducees, as there are many, [skeptics] still today, but he was supposed to preach to the Jews, and afterward to the whole world through the apostles. Christ was therefore sent to the Jews in person because they had the promise.

The Gentiles didn’t have the promise, but they had mercy.

LW Vol.54. Pg. 451

The Canaanite woman replies: “Lord, help me.”

Here his words are stinging but true.

“It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”

It is implied that the Gentile woman and all her family and people we’re not God’s chosen people – called to his table - as were the Israelites, that they could be considered in the eyes of God only as dogs [or outsiders], while the Jews were His children.

That’s a stern judgment which the Lord gave, in which there surely appeared not a glimmer of hope for the distressed mother.

As Luther writes, there was not an absolute denial of her request; there was still room for an argument. And, besides, Christ had not compared her people and her family to the street-dogs, but to the house-dogs that live with their masters in the home.

Kretzmann Popular Commentary on the Bible NT Vol. 1 pg 84-85

If you have ever had a house dog you know that in many cases they live with their owners very well and receive many times … food from the table.

The woman does not lose faith or take her eyes off Jesus but simply replies,

27 … “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.”

She says, yes sometimes even the dogs receive those crumbs, those blessings that she is looking for, because the dogs stay at the table. They are near the table and if your dogs are like my dogs … they don’t move … but sit waiting.

This woman would not be denied. She was keeping her eyes upon Jesus and knew by faith that He had the gift she needed, and the gift she wanted, both for herself and her daughter. To this Jesus says:
“O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Luther in his Table Talk discussions says: That Christ didn’t speak to us, but about us, [We who are afar off.] He wished to test this woman’s faith, and when she said, “Lord, it’s true, I don’t deserve it, and I know I didn’t have the promise,” Jesus heard her prayer.

LW Vol. 54 pg. 451

“God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”

Martin Luther.

Your prayers too are heard because you have faith in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ has had mercy upon you and has given you forgiveness of your sins. You are his child a member of his family grafted into the vine receiving all that is at His table.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon Aug. 12-13, 2023

Title: The storms are calmed in Christ!

Text: Matt. 14:22-33

 
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31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

On September 18, 2009, my friend Tim’s daughter Andrea suffered a tremendous heart attack. She was a sophomore at the University of Michigan at the time and thankfully near the University hospital. The extent of the damage was so severe that Andrea needed a new heart.

Her heart transplant was done on October 13. Even though she had a stroke the morning of the operation Andrea wanted to go through with the surgery. After many sleepless nights, prayers and concern Andrea was able to go home and start her rehabilitation.

This was a tragic situation to say the least for any family to go through. Andrea was mad at God and life. Her parents continued to encourage her and pray. As Tim and I talked one day when I called to check on her condition, he said something very profound. He said, “God can heal her or God can take her. Whatever He does I’ll continue to trust Him.”

Andrea got back to school and finished her sophomore year. But as Tim said someone else had to lose their life so she could live.

Verse 1

The razor’s edge is going to cut you, deeper and deeper
You hate the way it hurts and the time it takes to heal
You cover up the wounds and hope no one will notice
The way the razor works and the way the razor feels

But God know, Yes God knows, God knows when you hurt

That was the first verse of a song I wrote many years ago for a Christian band I was part of in the 90’s called 2ND Chance. The razor’s edge was a metaphor for the pains in life that we all deal with, how we hide those pains and cover the wounds and how in spite of the pain God knows and hears us during the times of trial.

Last week’s message showed our Lord Jesus Christ’s compassion to the crowd that had followed Him when he went to a desolate place to grieve by Himself after hearing that John the Baptist had been killed by Herod.

After the feeding of the five thousand the day was drawing to a close, the people had been fed and the compassion of Christ had been made evident to all … especially His disciples. Now Jesus sends them all away so He can get back to the business of why He came here to grieve John’s death and to pray.

Jesus finally got about the work He came to do … to pray and grieve. He had sent His disciples back across the lake in the boat He had arrived in by Himself.

When evening came, he was there alone, Matt. 14 23b

I’ve often wondered what the disciples talked about as they contemplated the miracle they just had witnessed with the feeding of the large crowd with five loaves and two fish, or what they were now talking about as they departed in the boat across the lake leaving Jesus back on the shore.

It might have been a combination of bewilderment and joy?

“Can you imagine all the people that were fed and still we had twelve baskets of pieces left over after all had ate their fill?” one disciple might have remarked.

“It was truly a miracle!” another might have exclaimed as they all remembered the Quail and manna from heaven that God had fed the Israelites with as they made their Exodus in the wilderness so many years before.

“He is truly the Messiah!” another might have added all the while not aware that the winds had picked up and the little boat, beaten by the waves, was making small progress fighting across the lake towards their destination.

Verse 2

In life we got to stumble, little by little
Feeling for the bottom just to know which way is up
You look upon the journey and you think no one will hear you
Call out for a hand to reach and pick you up.

And God knows, yes God knows, God knows when you call.

25And in the fourth watch of the night [Jesus] came to them, walking on the sea.26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.

Fear, at times consumes us all.
It’s real and we all deal with different levels of it.

It could be the fear of life’s economic uncertainty.
It could be a change of location or a health concern.
It could be a random act of violence on someone we don’t know, someone we know, or the fear that it could happen to us as well.
Or, it could be just a change of wind that brings danger to an otherwise peaceful calm.

So call on the Father
And call on the Son
Together the blood of life was shed for everyone.

It is only by the work of the Holy Spirit that we can we come to Christ or call on him.

And as Jesus approaches the boat he comes to the disciples with these wonderful comforting words:

"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." Matt. 14:28b

Jesus was there in the midst of the wind and waves with the calming reassurance for the disciples that it will be alright because He is in control of all in this world and the next. Even though storms, wind, and waves can cause doubt, we can trust that Christ is there with reassurance, though at times doubt still remains.

28And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Matt. 14:28

Christ was Peter’s focus in time of fear but he still needed proof. Take heart; it is I didn’t cut it for Peter. So Jesus calls him once again.

29 He said, "Come." So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

10 feet, 12 feet 15 feet … it doesn’t say.

When Christ is Peter’s focus all is well. He hears the Lord’s voice and wants to be the first to embrace His Lord. Jesus calls Peter to come and the miracle of walking on the water is repeated as Peter, in faith, steps out of the boat.

30 But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Matt. 14:30

Peter knew Christ, saw him and heard his voice. Yet in the storms of life the comfort of Christ can be overcome for us in the moment of affliction and fear.

Verse 3

A heart that’s broke or breaking starting to crumble
You feel just like the weight of the world is caving in
You call out for forgiveness you hope your prayers are answered
Seeds of doubt are planted every time that you begin

And God knows, yes God knows, God knows when you call.

God is the answer to Peter’s fear.

Christ is the focus of his call as his fear overwhelms him and he begins to sink. – Lord save me!

Jesus hears and responds to Peter’s cry in that:

31[He] immediately [reaches] out his hand and [takes] hold of him

Matt. 14:31a

Christ is Peter’s strength in the midst of impending fear and doom. As the wind and the waves calmed and Peter and Jesus once again entered the boat, the words of Christ as he took hold of Peter’s hand again invaded Peter’s thoughts:

"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Matt. 14:31b
Christ is ready to take hold of you too as you worry through the storms of life.

He will reach out and take hold of you when you feel overwhelmed by Life’s fears.
He makes a way when there is no way. He says:

"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." Matt.14:28b

Even when faith and doubt overwhelm us, He is the Peace that surpasses all human understanding.

14 years after her transplant, Andera Bierema is a social worker in Chicago. God Knows!

But most importantly, Jesus has come to redeem Andrea and all the lost and has taken our sin upon Himself, so that even though death is a reality in this life, there is comfort that because he lives you too live – in him!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon Aug. 5-6, 2023

Title: The Lord is compassionate!
Text: Matt. 14:13-21 

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19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And they all ate and were satisfied.

The passengers were sitting quietly in the subway car, when a man entered with children who were extremely noisy and active. To the passenger’s surprise, the man (who was obviously the father) sat down and closed his eyes, ignoring the loud and rambunctious children. He sat as though he were oblivious to them! The subway car was ringing with chaotic noise. The children's behavior was way out of line, and everyone was getting agitated - except the father.

Finally, a passenger leaned over and spoke to the man about his children. The father opened his eyes and seemed to finally grasp the situation.

"Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it either."

Many times we too become agitated before we show compassion.

Our gospel begins:

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.

The news that the disciples brought to Jesus was the news that John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod. Hard news for anyone to hear especially if the news involves someone we know or are close to that has lost their life.

Jesus needed to get away to grieve. So He gets into a boat and goes across the lake to a place that is quite to be by Himself – to a place that is desolate.

But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

When you think of desolate you might think of a place devoid of inhabitants and deserted. A place that is joyless and sorrowful - as if separated from a loved one. A place showing signs of abandonment, dilapidated, devoid of warmth, comfort or hope. But what does Jesus find?

14a When he went ashore he saw a great crowd,

He went to get away; to be by Himself; to collect His thoughts; to pray and here he finds not a desolate place at all, but one filled with a very large crowd of followers.

I believe that even this crowd would have given Jesus a pass had he became agitated. But what does Jesus do?

… and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

We too fail to see and reflect God’s compassion in our daily lives. Many times, agitation - seen through the eyes of sin - become the first reaction we have before – we see through the compassionate eyes of faith given to us by our loving savior Jesus – by the power of the Holy Spirit

Compassion would show for a Christian the wonderful evidence of the fruit of the Spirit.

To think of someone else and their needs first and foremost is a Christ-like virtue.

Stories of listening:

For me as a manager listening to employees when business and life was going wrong.

Or how Ben my boss listened to me as he put his hand on my shoulder saying, “It will get better.”

Or, how I as a pastor need to hear with compassionate ears the people that the Lord has given to my care.

Jesus’ showed compassion to the crowd of people gathered at this place and His compassion extended to their physical need as well.

These five thousand men, women and children hungered and were fed in a miraculous way by Jesus, but the miracle was probably not even something they were aware of. God’s great blessing filled their hunger and showed the disciples the compassion and power with which Jesus was sending them out.

Each had a basketful of leftovers to testify to what Jesus has done and will continue to do through them.

God would be with them as they went forth. His miraculous work would be worked through them.

Jesus would speak as they spoke to others.

All that Jesus is and does would be with them as they walked in His place with His word, bringing freedom to those in need of the saving knowledge of Christ in a fallen world. The compassion that Jesus has would be the compassion they share with and give to sinners so that they are healed of their sin, fed by our precious Lord’s word, and satisfied of their wants and needs.

Jesus has compassion.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Rom 3:23

His compassion is extended to all sinners who are lost and in need of salvation.

Jesus has compassion.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 6:23

His compassion comes to us through the free gift of the gospel for the salvation of all who believe.

Jesus has compassion.

8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5:8

His compassion comes to you and me even though we are sinners. He took our sin upon Himself at the cross and by grace through faith in His finished work we are free of sin and covered by his righteousness.

Jesus has compassion.

9 Because, by the power of the Holy Spirit in you, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Rom. 10:9-10

His compassion allows us by the power of the Holy Spirit to confess the truth of this good news for ourselves and to share this with others.

Jesus has compassion … on you!

13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Rom. 10:13

He heals your sin and covers you with His righteousness so that you are, by faith, free of your bondage to sin, fed by his holy word, as well as His very Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper given and shed for you and for all who are satisfied and found in Him.

This, your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gives you simply out of His Grace, mercy and love for you and with gratitude you are able to be compassionate and show compassion to others.

Finally, I leave you with a few of the wonderful words from our Sermon Hymn today.

Now Thank We All Our God

Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mothers' arms Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love And still is ours today.


Oh, may this bounteous God Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts And blessed peace to cheer us
And keep us in His grace And guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills In this world and the next!


All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God, Whom earth and heav'n adore;
For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon July 22-23, 2023

Title: God gathers you as wheat in his barn!
Text: Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43

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30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Sin can often have a gradual and cumulative effect on our lives.

Sitting in my basement a few years ago I saw a bee buzzing around. I picked up a fly swatter and got him. Over the summer it was one or two here and there and I took care of it as I could. I saw a few outside by my porch and sprayed some but that was about it. I didn’t know where they were getting in and over the winter forgot about it. I saw a few dead bees on my floor and cleaned it up but when I went to turn on the valve in the drop ceiling of my basement, I found the basketball size nest that lay hidden in the ceiling. Thankfully, the bees were dead and I just had to remove the nest but left unattended the hive could have over run my house.

That is how sin can be and grow.

Last week we discussed the parable of the Sower who sowed seed, throwing it everywhere, on the path, the rocky ground and even on good soil.

The parable was explained by Jesus that the seed was the word of God and the Gospel proclamation that went forth, transforming hearts of stone to good soil where the word takes root and brings forth faith in those called by God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s parable builds on that by saying:

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

So in explanation to this parable, Jesus says that He is the one who sows the good seed and that the world is the field and the wheat that grows, which sprouts from the good seed, are those who are the children of the Kingdom by faith. The weeds, we are told, are those who are sons of the evil one which is the devil himself - who sows the lies that Jesus is not who he claims to be, the way the truth and the life.

So as is made clear in our text, the world will consist of both those who believe and those who don’t believe, and being that the church is also in the world, we will have our own share of weed among believers.

So as the church shouldn’t we look to pull out those weed among us?

Who’ll be first?

What should we use to judge each other?

As Baptized members marked as one redeemed by Christ the crucified you have been made good soil by God’s Holy Spirit - certainly you are wheat - having been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.

But even if you haven’t been baptized? Paul says in Roman 10:

9 …, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

And then he continues:

11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

So belief in the heart is what justifies or makes righteous and those who believe will not be put to shame but will be saved.

So, as Jesus says to the question of,

28”do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 He says, ‘No, because in gathering the weeds you may pull up the wheat as well. 30 Let both grow together … until the harvest, and then I will tell the reapers to Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

In other words, the wheat is left behind after the weeds are gathered to be burned and then gathered into the Lord’s barn.

Growing up in and around the Midwest, I’m sure we’ve all had plenty of experience pulling weeds. As a young boy I was sent out to do weeding around the house and also went with my dad to a farm where he leased five acres to have a vegetable garden, we went to … you guessed it … to pull weeds!

Now, sometimes when I pulled the weed, I also pulled out the plant I was weeding around. My Dad was none too pleased with that. That can be very frustrating and at times you might think that you are doing more harm than good.

It also seems that these weeds seemingly grow up overnight. I would go out and pull weeds with him one day, but the next day, out of nowhere, new weeds had appeared.

Maybe you can appreciate like me the truly demonic nature of weeds and why Jesus used them in the parable?

With wheat and weeds at the time of harvest, the weeds, which look like wheat when they were green, turned out to be foxtail. But by then it was too late to pull them so the harvester, that big machine that is called a combine, would have to sort them for the wheat farmers, gathering the wheat safely in the tank and shredding the foxtail and other weeds behind in its wake.
Most farmers have great and fearful respect for that massive mechanical harvester. How much greater and more fearful will it will be when Jesus sends his angels as reapers at the end of the age?

But for you, the righteous, who trust in Christ just as for the wheat, there is no reason to fear, only joy and relief at being gathered safely home (Mt 13:24–30).

Jeffrey D. Springer, Fort Wayne, IN [modified]

When sin becomes visible in the church, we are told to call those who are sinning to repentance - with gentleness and respect, and we are to first remove the beam from our own eye before seeking to remove the speck from the eye of our brother.

When I went to the installation of Pastor Aaron Vergin at St. John’s Grand Haven many verses of scripture are read during the installation service. One of the many verses is 2 Timothy 4:2 which says:

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

The pastor is as well to call to repentance through the preaching of the Law those who are going the wrong way and are in disobedience to God’s word but also to do this with individuals as well.

This, only deals with the visible sin and it can never show the intention of the heart or the motive and even more importantly, who are wheat and who are weeds.

That will be determined by God himself at the final judgment.

So what do we know?

Well it is Christ’s desire that all would be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim 2:4, even for those whom we believe to be far from the Lord and his reach.

This is accomplished by the proclamation of the Gospel in word and sacrament which will bring to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit those who believe, and by God’s grace, into His family through that same promised forgiveness by faith in Christ’s finished work.

We also know from the parable today, that some - those who are called the weeds in the parable are those who are the sons of the evil one - the devil, and that they will reject the saviors blessed call through the gospel message and through this unbelief be destined for destruction – thrown into the fiery furnace and in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This will be of their own choosing as they reject the work of the Holy Spirit choosing to remain dead in trespass and sin.

But you all have this assurance:

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon July 15-16, 2023

Title: God’s harvest comes through the seed of the word!

Text: Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23

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23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

I changed the sign out front last week and walked across the lawn. It’s not the best lawn - in fact - it’s pretty terrible. Sandy soil, many bare places, rocks weeds galore. It’s funny, my yard can at times be much the same and why is it that when we have little water, the weed still grow … and in abundance?

JESUS SEEDS OUR HEARTS; SO THAT THROUGH THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE HEAR, BELIEVE AND BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT!

Jesus spoke in a parable in the Gospel lesson today. Parables are stories to illustrate important points our Lord is making and the Parable of the Sower is an interesting one.

Surly, those who were there listening on the shore, could relate to sowing seed as Jesus spoke to them from a boat just out from the shore that created a natural amphitheater as such. Many of those who were listening we’re farmers or had experience with planting and growing. They were listening well enough. But some heard while others didn’t.

The seed that Christ refers to as being planted is the word of God.

God in Christ was either directly sowing the seed of the word, or through his chosen instruments - his twelve disciples - the word was being sown in His place.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that seed doesn’t grow on a path and the word doesn’t grow in a heart opposed to understanding.

Jesus explains that the Evil One is waiting to remove any part of the word planted. His hope is to snatch them away from the kingdom.

For those with a heart that is like rocky ground the seed of the word may sprout for a time and be received with great joy but the troubles of this life and persecution can kill its growth and cause an apathetic view of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Thorns, in a garden, like a heart focused on prosperity and riches, can cause the word to be choked out as one searches for carnal gratification in things of the world.

You too can be affected by this life and fall victim to the work of the Devil. Your own level of prosperity can draw you away from the word of God -which is Christ - leaving your heart unattended and infested with weeds.

Many who attend church regularly hear the word but quickly forget it, allowing it to be snatched away from them, as they occupy their time with more interesting endeavors. As trouble begins, our own level of resolve can be compromised.

I have a friend who is a musician in Nashville. As we talked, he told me about one of his closest friends, a guitar player that has had much success in the music business. He said to me:

“Russ, I’ve had many opportunities to share Christ with Jimmy, but the problem as I see it is that things are just going too good for him. He would have to give up some things and right now he just sees no need for Jesus.”

Remember how Jesus’ explains it:

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Many, like Jimmy, get drawn away by their finances, wealth, lifestyle and the pursuit of happiness that their heart is like seed being sown among the thorns. It gets choked off and can’t grow.

For many others, the state of our economic situation in Michigan fills our hearts and minds with concern. Some have had to live on less and sadly many seek comfort in pleasures that fade away instead of the pleasure of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s invitation to come from Matthew 11, in last Sunday’s Gospel reading:
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear."

Jesus opens the hearts of the ones with ears to hear.

The good soil is found only in Christ. Where His word has taken root, by the work of the Holy Spirit, He is fully present and so is the good soil that begins producing a harvest of thirty, sixty and even a hundred-fold.

This is an unbelievable return Jesus promises his hearers.

Jesus’ word of comfort and rest, for those who hear the word of truth and believe, produce growth and good fruit in them.

God tells us in the words of Isaiah the Prophet:

…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Jesus has promised that the Good News will not return void and will, by faith in Him, accomplish that which He wills.

The good word of God grew and produced the fruit of faith through the word of Christ - by the spirits power - and it still works today!

It’s His good and gracious will for you too!

Jesus has planted this seed of the word in you.

The soil of your heart has been planted with the word of God and watered with your baptism.

God in Christ daily causes you to remember your baptism and through the word of His promise, will continue to grow the seed of the word planted in you.

Jesus richly tends to your soil and feeds and nourishes you through word and sacrament. He causes the cover of His righteousness to shade you, from the worries of this hot and hostile world, bringing rest and peace in Him who is the living waters He so richly gives to all who believe.

As Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:10-13:

10 “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Christ will always bring living waters to tend your garden.

He will feed you and produce a great harvest through the word in you as you continue to feed and drink of Him.

The word of His promise will not return void and by the power of the Holy Spirit the word of God will be made known to those with ears to hear.

May the word of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit and the Love of God continue to comfort, grow and keep you in His love as you hear believe and bring forth good fruit, now and forever.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon July 8-9, 2023

Title: Jesus and his love is our rest!
Text: Matt. 11:25-30

Facebook live: Jesus and his love is our rest!

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.

Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian,

"Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bows implies."

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained,

"If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it."

People are also like that. That's why we all need to take time to rest. In today's Scripture, Jesus calls all who labor and are heavy laden, to Himself for rest.

And in the Old Testament, God also set a pattern for us when He "rested from all His work" (Gen.2:3).

In the Lord we find spiritual rest and also God tells us that physical rest is needed. By setting aside a special time to relax physically and renew yourself emotionally and spiritually, you will be at your best for the Lord … if you have taken time to loosen the bow.

Our Daily Bread, June 6, 1994.

Jesus has been telling the disciples these last few weeks in our gospel lessons about the hardships they will encounter as they go forth as his messengers.

Jesus tells them that the world we hate them and families will be divided by this word of the Gospel.

We too know this at times in our own families where faith is fully realized with some members brought to faith and trust in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit while others seem distant and led by a different spirit, not trusting Christ or seeming to care much about Him.

Hope may be in the world and what it offers, in themselves and the wisdom of reason and understanding or just in peace where at times there is no peace. The burdens of life can be heavy.

The scribes and Pharisees of Israel deemed themselves the custodians of the wisdom and understanding of the Law in all its applications. To them the Gospel is hidden, because they deliberately close their hearts and minds against its beauties.

But to babes, those that are as ignorant of this world's wisdom as little children, God has revealed the glory of the Gospel.

The gospel promises that all by faith through God’s call will be brought to the loving arms of Jesus and there they will find rest. Just as rest is needed in life after physical activity also spiritual rest provides comfort and strength for the soul.

Resting in the loving arms of Jesus!

A story is told of one man’s challenge of another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had.

"I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did."

"But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."

Source Unknown.

Rest can be productive. It can be a physical rest that allows our bodies to take the tension of the bow off if you will. But also, it can be a time of rest when the lord feed us and gives us His peace as we give our cares that laden our lives and the burdens that we carry every day to the Lord.

Sometimes we can just be too busy.

Having worked for years in retail I know how much this cost me with regards to my family. Working Saturday and Sundays, and evenings until 8 but many of us have to make our schedule work and unfortunately we can’t opt out.

The one that bothered me the most was Amy’s first communion. It was on a Sunday, we had service and her first communion at church and then family at the house for a party.

I was able to stay for a few minutes but had the last day of our big sale at Madonna University and I had to be there by 1:00 PM.

I wanted to be at home with my family but also had an obligation to my boss and company. As we all know it has got harder for families. For many, two incomes are required or through the brokenness of the family, one parent has to do twice as much. The burden can be great.

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Resting in the loving arms of Jesus in needed.

Jesus began the Gospel reading today with these words:

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

"There are two things over which Jesus here is glad. The first, that God has hidden such mystery from the wise and understanding. The other, that He has revealed it to the little ones, the simple, the babes. Those are the children and babes that do not talk against the Word of God, that do not murmur against God's will, but, as He deals with them, they are well pleased with it. This includes all those that are not wise and understanding in their own conceit, nor fall into God's work and Word with their reason."

Kretzmann vol. 1 pg. 65

And Jesus adds:

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus’ burden is light, - for you that believe His words;

His yoke is easy, - if you look upon Christ Jesus who gives rest,

And you will find rest for your souls.

That is the final comfort of God’s Gospel-promise:

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Heb. 4, 9.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon July 2, 2023

Title: Christ’s Instructions and Promises to Us. - Pastor Terry Nelson

Text: Matt. 10:34-42

Facebook live: Christ’s Instructions and Promises to Us.

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.